This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Opposed piston engines include two pistons housed within a single cylinder that move in an opposed, reciprocal manner within the cylinder. In this regard, during one stage of operation, the two pistons are moving away from one another within the cylinder. During another stage of operation, the two pistons are moving towards one another within the cylinder.
Nozzles or injection ports can be used to inject a fuel into the cylinder and between the pistons. As the pistons move towards one another within the cylinder, the crown or bowl portion of the pistons can compress and, thus, cause the ignition of the fuel. In some configurations, each cylinder can include more than one fuel nozzle. In such configurations, the shape of the crown or bowl of the piston can affect the characteristics and performance of the combustion process.
While known opposed-piston engines have generally proven to be acceptable for their intended purposes, a continued need in the relevant art remains for a piston, and an opposed piston engine, having improved combustion performance, including efficient air utilization and fuel mixing.